Cytotoxicity and release ions of endodontic sealers incorporated with a silver and vanadium base nanomaterial

The modification of endodontic sealers with nanoparticles to confer antimicrobial activity allow greater effect, with interaction at a molecular level. The nanostructured silver vanadate decorated with silver nanoparticles (AgVO₃) is a nanomaterial unprecedented in dentistry for this application. This study incorporated the AgVO₃ into three endodontic sealers of different compositions and evaluate the cytotoxicity and release of compounds. The groups of commercially available AH Plus, Sealer 26, and Endomethasone N and groups of the same sealers with incorporated AgVO₃ (at concentrations 2.5, 5, 10%) were prepared, and extracts of the specimens were obtained for 24 h. The cell viability (cytotoxicity) of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) was assessed after 24 h, 7 and 14 days. Silver (Ag⁺) and vanadium (V⁴⁺/V⁵⁺) ion release was quantified after 24 h by ICP-MS. Data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's post-hoc (α = 0.05). The cell viability was inversely proportional to treatment time. The Sealer 26 and Endomethasone N groups were cytotoxic for HGF cells, regardless of the incorporation of the AgVO₃ (p > 0.05), and the incorporation reduced cell viability of AH Plus (p < 0.05). The release of ions was proportional to the concentration of AgVO₃. AH Plus released more Ag⁺ ions, and Sealer 26 and Endomethasone N releases more V⁴⁺/V⁵⁺ ions. In conclusion, it was not possible to confirm the influence of AgVO₃ on HGF cell viability to Sealer 26 and Endomethasone N, however, nanomaterial influenced cell-viability to AH Plus, so the commercial sealers can be cytotoxic in synergy with the nanomaterial. The release of Ag⁺ and V⁴⁺/V⁵⁺ was proportional to the AgVO₃ incorporated.